Guinea honors 11 officers who died in plane crash

The 11 Guinean officers who died in a plane crash in Liberia are being honored at a state funeral presided over by the West African country's president.

Gen. Souleymane Kelefa Diallo, chief of staff of the Guinean army, and 10 other senior military officers were flying to Liberia to attend Armed Forces Day celebrations when their plane crashed early Monday about 45 kilometers (28 miles) south of Monrovia, the Liberian capital.

Guinea is observing three days of mourning for the officers who were honored at the ceremony Wednesday.

Guinean President Alpha Conde posthumously promoted Diallo to the rank of Dignity of Grand Officer of the National Order of Merit of the Republic of Guinea. The ten other officers were named as Commanders of the National Order of Merit.